My Son
by FluffDucklings
Summary: Sometimes, Harry just doesn't know what to do or say. Sometimes, Harry feels as if the world is against him. Sometimes, Harry wishes his parents hadn't died. Sometimes, Harry is just content with life.
1. Forgotten For Now

**Note: This was written to Vera Lynn's The Little Boy That Santa Claus Forgot. **

**I don't own HP.**

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Little Mr. Potter was sitting in the front garden on Christmas Morning. Miss Figg watched him from her sitting room window.

She was sipping tea and petting her cat, Mr. Tibbles, as she watched out her window at the charming little boy who lived across the road.

He was playing in the flowerbed, it looked it, but Miss Figg knew better. Mr. Potter wasn't the playing type. He was to sort to do what his Aunt said or get a sound whacking on his bottom. He was doing garden work on this chilly holiday morning.

It was just another day to this little boy.

No doubt, Miss Figg thought, that horrid Dursley boy, who always tripped her with that remote car, was sitting inside next to the fire, surrounded by presents and being fawned over by his parents.

Miss Figg shook her head. Couldn't those lousy Muggles shell out even a few pounds for their darling nephew?

She remembered something he'd told her a few weeks ago when he'd been sent to her house while his relatives went out for dinner.

"I really want some toy soldiers for Christmas. Uncle Vernon gave some of his from when he was a kid to Dudley. They looked really nice, but Dudley hasn't touched them since. I'd play with mine everyday and not let them get broken like Dudley did." Miss Figg had smiled and pat Harry's head when he told her that.

"I'm sure your uncle will give you some lovely toy soldiers for Christmas, Harry dear. You've been a wonderful boy this year."

Harry looked at her oddly when she had said that. But he shrugged it off and so did she. They both knew Harry wouldn't be getting anything for Christmas. But it was still nice to hope.

After washing her cup and placing it back in the cupboard, Miss Figg noticed the Dursley boy had made his way outside, waddling his way out of the home in new winter clothes. Harry was still working in the flowerbed and seemed to quicken his pace when the door opened.

Dudley had what looked like a plastic sword in his chubby hands. As soon as the door was shut and his parents weren't watching, he began his routine of making Harry's life hell.

He started tapping the boy's head and whacking his fingers. He swiped at newly planted flowers and threw dirt around the garden.

Miss Figg knew Harry would be getting a whipping for that.

But it was just another day for Harry so what difference did it make that it was Christmas Day and he was outside alone doing chores while his family spend the day inside with cocoa and cookies and _family_?

Miss Figg shook her head. In just two years the poor dear would be getting the best present he could ever hope for. Hogwarts would give the boy a home and a family who cared for him.

He just had to survive until then.


	2. Tea Time Talk

**Note: A generic 'neighbors pov'. /smiley face**

**I own nothing!**

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"Did you see that nasty Potter boy?"

"Going to make trouble at the play park, no doubt."

Marie-Anne listened to her two friends gossip about the little neighborhood delinquent. Honestly, she had nothing against Harry Potter. She'd never caught him making trouble so she couldn't find it in her conscious to hate the boy. (Even if she did find him causing trouble, she didn't think she could hate him then either. Hate was something she took lightly.)

"Causing poor Petunia so much trouble. I've told her she should just send the boy to the orphanage. He'll be out of everyone's hands and he'll learn his lesson well."

Marie-Anne knit her brows. "Don't you think that is a bit much?"

Louise scoffed and brushed a few crumbs from her housedress. "Not with all that trouble he causes. Did you know Dudley caught him destroying Petunia's garden? Her prized flowers will not be ready to show this year!"

"And I heard the police brought him home one evening. I saw the Bobbies myself. Something about climbing school buildings. The nerve of that boy!"

Marie-Anne sighed and nodded her head. The women talked a while more and soon Marie-Anne had to excuse herself with the reason of going grocery shopping before Johnny got home.

She walked along the sidewalk, her buggy rolling behind her, and thinking about what Louise and Marsha had said about Harry Potter.

In her opinion, Dudley was the troublemaker. She'd caught the boy more than once knocking over poor old Miss Figg with some toy or another. Now that boy was a brat! He could do with a good whack on his bottom.

Her shopping didn't take long, something she was grateful for, and she was lost in thought when she bumped into something. That something turned out to be the little boy who'd been on her mind all day.

"Oh, sorry, dear." She held a hand out to help him up, but he didn't take it. He leaned away, not looking at her. Now, Marie-Anne thought, that was rude. "Are you alright? I didn't mean to knock into you."

"T-That's al-alright ma'am," Harry Potter said in a small voice. He stayed on the ground, looking at the cracked sidewalk.

"Now, don't you want to get up, dear? I'm sure your bottom will have a stain on it if you stay." The boy scrambled up, sucking in a breath sharply through is mouth. He mumbled an apology and scampered off to Number 4.

Marie-Anne thought nothing of it and continued on at a much slower pace. She lived at Number 7 and would be passing the Dursley house like she did every Sunday when she did her shopping. She saw Harry's heel just as the door slammed shut and started at the force of it.

Ahead, she saw Johnny's car parked in the lot. He would be expecting dinner soon.

A sudden shout caught her ear and she turned to Number 4. There was another slam of a door not too far into the house since Marie-Anne was able to hear it from the sidewalk and then silence. She frowned and stared at the house, so similar to all the others in the neighborhood.

This wasn't the first time she'd heard shouting coming from Number 4. Mr. Dursley was a loud man and shouted was to be expected from such a long winded man. Even Petunia sometimes lost her composure and snapped at the boys.

Marie-Anne continued home and was greeted by Johnny at the door. He kissed her and said he'd ordered take-out for them, saving her a mess in the kitchen. All thoughts of the Potter boy were gone from her mind and would not return until next Sunday when she would catch Harry hiding in a bush then passing Dudley who asked her none too kindly where his cousin was at.


	3. Teacher's Pet, But Not Really

**Note: I love the thought of all of Harry's teachers gossiping to each other about how bad a student he is because of Petunia's lies. And then Harry comes to school, cute and adorable, and tries to be the best student he can be to show them wrong.**

**I don't own HP.**

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Mrs. Jenny was knew to Surrey Elementary so she wouldn't know how Harry was such a bad boy. Maybe he could show her this year how he wasn't a bad boy, but a good boy, not like all the other teachers called him.

Harry never meant to do the things he did. He couldn't understand how he'd turned the temp's wig blue. He didn't have anything blue near him when that happened! Or when he'd gotten onto the cafeteria's roof! The wind must have caught him in mid-jump! That was an accident.

Harry decided he would be a good boy this year just for Mrs. Jenny. She'd said she had her own baby so maybe she knew that sometimes odd things happened to little boys. But then again, her baby was a girl so Harry wasn't too sure if his plan would work.

On his first day of third grade, Harry sat in the front row, his school supplies from last year all under his desk and ready to be taken out when needed. He sat with his hands folded on his desk so Mrs. Jenny could see he wasn't doing anything bad and he waited silently for class to start.

Mrs. Jenny gave Harry an odd look when she first started class by calling roll. Mrs. Baxter must have told her about him.

Then she handed out work sheets for the class to fill in. They had to tell about their summer and all the things they did. Harry wrote about what the Dursley's did, pretending he'd gone with them.

After that, Mrs. Jenny had them all stand up at the desk and tell some things about themselves so she could get to know them better. Harry told her he liked music and she asked who he liked and he said with a red face, Vera Lynn. Mrs. Jenny smiled and laughed and the next person stood up. Harry liked that she hadn't laughed at him. It was the kind of laugh you laugh when you're happy. That made Harry happy.

During lunch, Harry tried to stay out of Mrs. Jenny's sight. She might ask him why he wasn't eating and then he'd have to answer her questions and it was just easier for everyone not to know that little Harry Potter went without lunch.

At recess, Harry stayed close to Mrs. Jenny, always making sure he was in her sight unlike at lunch. If the other boys knew the teacher was watching, they wouldn't mess with Harry and then Harry wouldn't get into trouble because of them.

Before the bell to release them rang in the afternoon, Mrs. Jenny told the class she would be having a special box with prizes for the student of the day.

For the very first day at school, Mrs. Jenny sat the box in front of Harry at his desk and told him he could pick anything out for being such a good boy.

Blushing and not believing his luck, Harry picked something at random, not caring one bit what he got, just the satisfaction of doing a good job being enough for him.

Dudley, in the back scoffed and his friends all laughed and whispered about Harry being a teacher's pet. Harry ducked his head, his ears red and his prize shoved deep in his pocket.


	4. Birthday Chairs and Pencils

**Note: When I was in Kindergarten, I remember the teacher having a 'birthday chair'. It was a regular desk painted white with confetti colours. I never really liked Kindergarten because I got in trouble for working ahead... /sighs**

**I own nothing!**

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During the school year, Mrs. Jenny had a special desk for the Birthday Person. Harry didn't think he'd get to sit in the special chair since he had a summer birthday, but Mrs. Jenny said she would pick a random day for the summer birthdays so everyone got a chance to sit in the birthday chair.

Near the end of April, when the rain was getting kind of bad and Harry was starting to get sick like he did every year, Mrs. Jenny announced that it was Harry's turn to sit in the special birthday chair. That raised Harry's spirits tenfold. Not only was he sniffling more, but Uncle Vernon had not let him have any dinner the night before. They'd had chicken soup and Harry heard the chicken soup make sick boys better.

But now, sitting in the confetti coloured desk, Harry was smiling shyly and doing his sums as best he could. He worked hard and lunch and recess came, which they spent inside since it was still raining.

After break, Harry found a small toy on his desk; Mrs. Jenny's doing. She always put something special on the birthday chair after break. Harry went to inspect it and found it to be a pencil. It was rudimentary gift for a teacher to give, but Harry liked how it had things like 'Good Job!' and 'Excellent Work!' written on it, it made him feel better.

The next day, Harry was sniffling even more and he was now back in his regular desk, but he still had his pencil, which he'd been able to keep safe from Dudley, who liked to steal the things Mrs. Jenny gave to him. If he played it careful, Harry would be able to keep the pencil even after he moved on from Mrs. Jenny's class and to the next grade. The encouraging words on the writing utensil meant something to Harry that the other children just could never understand.


	5. The Green Light

**I don't own HP.**

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Harry didn't like the colour of his eyes. They were green and green was the colour of his nightmares.

During the night, when he was supposed to be sleeping, a green light would flash all around him, he could hear a woman scream and a man laugh and he would wake up with his forehead hurting very badly.

The green light scared Harry. The green light must have been from the car crash. His parents must have crashed near a street light because Harry didn't think cars had green lights on them.

The screaming woman frightened him as well. She wasn't screaming like Aunt Petunia did when she got angry at Harry for something. She screamed like the ladies on the scary movies Dudley liked to watch. She was screaming in fear.

Harry desperately wished he would dream of something else besides the screaming lady. She sounded terrified and Harry didn't want to know what she was screaming for.

Then the man who laughed. That laugh sent chills down Harry's spine. The man's laugh was worse than when Uncle Vernon looked at him before he got a spanking. The man who laughed truly scared Harry as he curled up in his cupboard under the stairs. All the creaky noises and scary tapping that came from all the way outside frightened Harry. He would pull his blanket over his head and try his hardest to think of anything but the green light and the screaming lady and most especially the laughing man.


	6. His Would Be Family

**Note: I just noticed in my school shorts, that I named the teacher Jenny. I did not in fact mean to do that, it's just a happy coincidence. (Ginny, Jenny... /sigh...)**

**I own nothing!**

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Sometimes, when Harry was stuck in his cupboard under the stairs, he liked to think of what his life when he was grown up would be like.

Would he find someone who liked him and would be his friend even if Dudley tried to beat them up? Would he find a wife when he was an adult who loved him just because? Would he ever have children of his own?

Harry liked to think that if he found a friend who liked him and would be his friend even if Dudley tried to beat them up, he would never let them go. Friends were precious; that's what Mrs. Jenny said one time.

If he found a wife, he would love her as much as he could, and not the kind of love like Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon where they kissed each other at the store and then complained when other people did it. Harry would love his wife and still love everyone else too.

And children. If Harry had children, they would be the most spoiled kids ever! Harry loved to think about his children the most. They would have black hair like his and their mother's eyes. They would be smart and have lots of friends and play with them every day. They would all eat dinner together at the table and no one ever got sent to bed without. They would never have to sleep in a cupboard under the stairs and if they had nightmares, they could sleep with Harry and his wife. They wouldn't even have to do chores!

Harry loved the life he thought of. He couldn't wait to grow up and have friends and a pretty wife who loved him just because and children who didn't have chores and had lots of friends of their own.

While he sat in his cupboard, thinking up new details to his future life, Harry would smile to himself, giddy and excited for the next day to come, only because it meant he would be another day nearer to the family that would love him.


	7. How Could They Be?

**Note: Everyone should eat a healthy slice of both banana and zucchini bread for they are delicious.**

**I own nothing!**

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When Harry was little, he'd thought his Aunt Petunia was his mother. He'd thought she was his Mama and that her name was Aunt Petunia. It wasn't an odd name to him; he'd heard lots of even odder names at school, like Weirdo and Freak.

He'd thought he'd lived with is Mama, Aunt Petunia and his Daddy, Uncle Vernon, and his Brother, Cousin Dudley.

Now that Harry was eight, he thought he was stupid. How could he think Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon were his parents? His parents were dead and gone.

His parents died in the car crash that gave him his nasty scar. His parents could never be Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon.

How could he have thought they were his parents? They were mean and only liked Dudley. If Harry's parents were alive, he bet they would love him and not like Dudley at all. That was how parents acted. They loved only their children and not anyone else's.

Harry bet that they _had_ loved him, even if they died in a car crash. Sometimes people had accidents, even if Aunt Petunia liked to say that all of Harry's accidents were on purpose. They probably _had_ loved him and not liked Dudley and they probably _had_ given him toys and hugs and dinner all the time, unlike Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon who didn't like him one bit.


	8. Supermarket No Nos

**Note: Even still, at nearly twenty, I sometimes get lost at the supermarket. /shakes head at self**

**I don't own HP.**

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One time, at the market, Harry got lost. Aunt Petunia had been inspecting the broccoli and Harry had wandered just a few steps over to the eggplants, wondering why they were purple, and when he looked back, Aunt Petunia was gone!

Harry didn't freak out at first. He stayed calm and thought Aunt Petunia had just moved on to the next vegetable on her list, but when he visited each food without seeing her, Harry started to worry.

He stayed in the produce section, knowing he shouldn't wander far without an adult. He scanned the grocery floor, looking for Aunt Petunia's chartreuse sweater with the reindeer on it, but she was nowhere to be found.

Harry timidly stepped closer to the aisle with cereal, thinking she could not have gone too far. There was only an old man putting oatmeal into his buggy, but no Aunt Petunia. Harry hurried to the next aisle and the one after that, but he could find neither hide nor hair of his aunt.

Tears sprung in his eyes, threatening to spill over as he glanced down the last aisle of the store. He prayed that his aunt would be there.

Aunt Petunia was just placing a roll of paper towels into the buggy when Harry ran up to her, nearly knocking her over as he gripped her skirt. He let his tears fall onto the soft fabric, not caring that he must look like a crybaby.

Aunt Petunia shook him off then, saying he was in trouble for taking off. Harry didn't care though. He was just glad he had found his aunt. It didn't matter that he would be getting a whipping once they'd gotten home.


	9. He's the Troublemaker?

**Note: Just Mrs. Jenny's pov of the first day of third grade since I can't seem to sleep. ugh...**

**I don't own HP.**

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Mrs. Jenny was a new teacher, fresh out of uni and had not been hardened from years of crocodile tears. She was excited that the new school year was starting and could not wait to see all the bright young faces of her very first crop of third years.

Of course, the older teachers warned her about this child and that. Timmy liked to tug Martha's hair and Susie liked to come late. But she didn't pay mind to them. These were just children after all; how bad could they be?

But the one name that kept coming up was Harry. Harry Potter.

"That's the one who likes to climb buildings."

"He dyed poor dear old Mrs. Goethe's wig blue last year!"

"His poor cousin, Dudley, has a bad example being set for him with that little troublemaker."

Now Mrs. Jenny had her interests piqued. She would just have to wait for Monday to see who was who.

Bright and early Monday morning, Mrs. Jenny sat at her new desk, waiting for her pupils to wander in. First in was a sweet little girl in pig-tails. She must have been Martha because not a moment later, a boy was tugging at her hair.

As Mrs. Jenny called roll, she stopped when she noticed Harry was not in fact, the chubby kid in the back who had knocked over Tina's chair as she was about to sit, but the skinny boy in the very front with his hands folded on his desk. He looked at her as if he knew what she was thinking.

After roll, Mrs. Jenny had the children all stand up and share a few things. She thought it was a nice exercise for the children in case any of them were a bit shy.

Harry told the class he liked music, but nothing else. He was going to sit down, but Mrs. Jenny stopped him, asking who he liked to listen to. To her surprise, the little boy turned bright red and mumbled a name she couldn't really hear. He sat down quickly and the boy next to him stood up.

As she looked over the worksheets the children had filled out before lunch, Mrs. Jenny smiled when she saw Harry's drawing of him and his family, Dudley and his aunt and uncle, all playing at the beach. It was endearing.

The boy played by himself at recess, never really trying to interact with the other children. Mrs. Jenny worried he in fact was a troublemaker and the other children just didn't like him because of it, but she had yet to see a single bad bone in the child, unlike Dudley, who she had been told was an angel.

The day was over quicker than Mrs. Jenny whished for. Her first day had gone swimmingly, if she did say so herself, but now was time for her to reveal her special box to the children.

She held the box for them all to see, telling them that one child each day would be picked to pick a prize from the special box. But they had to be extra special good to be picked for a prize. Then she plopped the box down in front of Harry who looked just as surprised as the rest of the class.

Harry picked something without looking and shoved it in his pocket just as quick. Mrs. Jenny heard some snickering from the back, but ignored it in favour of reminding the class that they had to be good to get a prize like Harry did.


	10. Home Alone

**Note: I imagine Harry did this a lot.**

**I own nothing!**

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When the Dursley's all went out to dinner or some other thing and left Harry at the house and not locked in his cupboard or at Miss Figg's house, Harry liked to take his chance to spite his family. He didn't blow up the house, like Uncle Vernon feared, or tore up the furniture like Aunt Petunia thought he did in his spare time, but he just did some of the things he wasn't ever allowed to do.

As soon as the lights of Uncle Vernon's car was gone, turned at the corner of Magnolia Crescent and Privet Drive, Harry would zoom up the stairs and fling himself on his Aunt and Uncle's bed. (He'd learned the hard way that Dudley liked to keep sharp, pointy things hidden in the sheets and crumbs littered it.)

Their bed was soft and bouncy and Harry liked to just lay there in the warm blankets for a while. He wouldn't let himself stay very long just in case he might fall asleep and then get into some real trouble, but he stayed long enough to enjoy his time.

After remaking the bed as best he could to look as it was before he'd disturbed it, Harry liked to venture around in Dudley's room, salvaging any books he could find hidden in the depths of his dirty clothes mountain or the unexplored jungle of his wardrobe. Any books he'd find he would hide under his cot in his cupboard and then head to the kitchen.

Rummaging all the way to the very back, Harry would take anything that looked like Aunt Petunia may throw out soon. She never missed them anyways. Harry would munch away at a bruised apple or scoff down some iffy leftovers that Uncle Vernon never took for lunch at work and then he would rearrange the shelves back to their original selves and the hideaway back in his cupboard before his relatives could get home.


End file.
